Cable tightener



F. W. BARBER .CABLE RIGHTENER Dec. 4 1923. 1,476,026

Filed Au 28, 1922 I Jnuemtq Q /0 amt/ Patented Dec. 4, 1923.

r'rsnr FRANK W. BARBER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

CABLE TIGHTENER.

Application filed August 28, 1922. Serial No. 584,718.

vice and combination of parts herein illus-' trated, described and claimed.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the tourniquet in use, as applied to a clothes line.

Fig. 2 is a side view of the device, enlarged, with a portion at each end in section. Y

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the device, showing its attachment to a line Or cable.

Fig. & is an elevation showing one end.

In the drawing, I have shown one post A, such as an ordinary clothes post, provided with a hook 1. The clothes line B will be secured at its ends to the hooks 1 upon the osts A, and drawn as taut as may be possible, but to take up slack or sag in the line when clothes are hung upon it, my improved tourniquet will be found desirable.

This device consists of a rod or bar C, usually of wood, and preferably about one inch in diameter, and fifteen to eighteen inches in length, or thereabouts. Surrounding the rod G and near one end is a metal tubular member or sleeve D. Through the bar C near the same end is a slot or elongated aperture 2, through which the bent portions of a cleat E are passed. A tubular sleeve D of a diameter to fit over the bar C is provided with two diametrically opposite apertures 8, 1, through which, when the sleeve is positioned over the bar aperture 2, the parts of the wire cleat may be passed. 1

The cleat E is of metal, preferably of wire bent in U shape, the loop portion of the wire being secured, by a pin 5, to the sleeve D; its two U-shaped members being held apart by a spreader member 6. This spreader may be part of the bar C, by boring two parallel apertures 2, or it'may be a separate piece, as shown. The ends 7, 7, of the cleat E, after being passed through the apertures 8 and 4: of the sleeve, and aperture 2 of the bar C, are spread or flaredv 69 outwardly or away from each other. as shown. In the other end of the-bar C, I use a securing memberF which consists of a screw threaded arm 8 and a loop or hook end 9. The other end of the bar C, I prefer to ohamfer ofl shown at 10.

The operation of the. tourniquet will be readily understood without special instrucor cut away somewhat, as

tions, since the user will simply place the- 79 cleat E sidewise against the line B, and by turning the rod about the cleat E, will take up theslack in one or any number of coils 12 required. When the line B has been thus tightened, the rod C is hung on the line by engagement of the hook F therewith, thus lockin 'the device in position.

In t e application of the tourniquet to a line, it will be found convenientto grasp the line B with'one (say the left) hand at- 89 a point near where the cleat is to engage the line, and to grasp the bar C with the other hand near the end having the hookF. By holding this handle end somewhat away from the line B, so that the bar C will be 35 at an angle to and not parallel with the line B, the turning or crank. movement of the bar C will be facilitated and the hand of the operator onthe bar C .will not be scraped by contact with the line B. For this reason, 90 V and to insure ease of movement, I ohamfer ofi the end at 10, the line readily slipping over this surface during the turning movement.

The device is simple, cheap to manufacture, easy to assemble, has no complicated parts to get out of order and is found to be most efficient in use.

I claim as my iiwentionz l. A cable tightener comprising a handle spreadapart to form a cleat and means on the bar at a point remote from the cleat adapted to engage a cable after the slack therein has been taken up by the cleat.-

2. A cable tiglitener comprising a handle bar having an opening therethrough, a wire bent between its ends and located in said opening, the ends of the Wire projecting b yond one 'end or said opening and being spread apart to form a cleat, means on the bar at a point remote from the cleat adapted to engage a cable after the slack therein has been taken up by the cleat, and means for locking the Wire to the bar.

3. A cable tightener comprising a handle bar having an opening therethrough, a Wire bent be'tvs'reen its ends and located in said opening, the ends of the Wire projecting and being spread apart to form a deal; and

means on the bar at a point remote from vbent between its ends and located in said opening, the ends of the Wire proije'ctingand being spread apart to forrh a cleat and means on the bar at "a point remote from the cheat adapted to engage a cable after the slack therein has been taken up by the cleat, and a spreader member in the bar between the bent portions of ,the Wire, and a sleeve surrounding the bar and Wire.

5. A device fortightening cables com rising a cylindrical bar, an opening t erethrough near one end, a U-shaped Wire in the opening with its ends projecting there from and spread apart to form a cleat, a spreader member in the bar opening be tween the two parts of the U-shaped Wire,

a metal sleeve surrounding the bar, open ings in the sleeve to cooperate with the Wire, a pin for fastening the Wire to the sleeve, and a cable engaging hook secured to the other end of the bar.

, FRANK W. BARBER.

Witnesses: r. I

TAYLOR E. BROWN, B. L. MA'CGREGOR. 

